


it worked

by lgbtjin



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Jealous!Arthur, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-22
Updated: 2016-05-22
Packaged: 2018-06-10 03:03:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6936862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lgbtjin/pseuds/lgbtjin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur and Merlin are best friends and both of them like each other but neither of them know,so Merlin decides to take a leap and figure things out but it causes Arthur to become a little more than jealous....</p>
            </blockquote>





	it worked

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever long-ish fic,I usually make these one shots on twitter but I thought i'd give this a go so I hope you all enjoy and please don't be too mean if you don't like it! thank you for reading if you do :)

"Arthur?" Merlin asked in a wary tone because he didn't know how Arthur would react to what he was about to say.  
"Yes" Arthur answered,mimicking Merlin's tone.  
"I'm trying to get Gwaine to go to prom with me but he doesn't seem to be getting my hints.So I was wondering if you'd help him to ask me" Merlin had been looking at the ground the entire time but when he lifted his head to gauge Arthur's expression he saw a flash of sadness but it was quickly replaced with a smile.The smile that Arthur used for Merlin and Merlin alone.  
"Of course I'll help you,you're my best friend and I'd do anything for you.Even if that does mean making Gwaine jealous so he'll ask you to the prom" Merlin noticed the sad tone in Arthur's voice,especially when he had mentioned Gwaine and Prom.Merlin quickly forgot about it because Arthur took a hold of his arm and said  
"SO,what's the plan,Batman"  
"What's the plan Batman?" Merlin said whilst looking at Arthur with a ridiculous expression "Arthur,you truly are a rare one"  
"I know,that's why you should keep me close" Arthur tried to say in a joking manner but it had a serious undertone  
"I always will" Merlin was about to say when the bell rang for class.

The next day in the hall,Merlin could see Gwaine,so he quickly put his arm around Arthur's waist and stroked lazy circles on his back.To Merlin's surprise,Arthur began to hum in response to his touch.Arthur was content with the feeling of Merlin's delicate fingers tracing patterns on his back,when he suddenly looked around him and he saw Gwaine looking at them.So that's why Melin was suddenly keen to give Arthur attention.Arthur knew he had agreed to help Merlin out but it was hard for him,to see the boy he loved want someone else's attention,someone that wasn't him.He pushed the jealously aside and thought of what Merlin wanted and leaned down.Merlin could feel Arthur's hot breath brushing past his ear as he whispered something that made Merlin turn from white to pink to crimson.  
"Arthur!" Merlin gasped  
Arthur turned back to where Gwaine was stood a moment ago but he was no longer there.

Two weeks had gone past,when Merlin bounded into the classroom with the biggest smile on his face.Again it was the smile that Merlin kept for Arthur.  
"It worked" he practically shouted  
"What worked?" Arthur replied,confused.  
"Gwaine asked me to prom! Can you believe it?" Merlin said, still smiling but this smile no longer belonged to Arthur alone,it was now Arthur /and/ Gwaine's smile.  
"I never doubted he would" Arthur said after a moment of swallowing the lump that was slowly rising in his throat "I mean we literally looked like a couple.he must've been scared that I'd actually ask you" he gave a nervous laugh.  
"Ha! yeah imagine that" Merlin was still smiling but his tone had saddened.

Arthur hated prom,he only went because Merlin had asked him to come,though not in the way he had hoped to be asked.He was sat down by the table that had all the coats and bags stacked on top.He had never felt s alone,he was rarely alone because Merlin had always been there by his side,but tonight Merlin was at the side of another.To worsen his mood he looked up and he saw Merlin,though Merlin did not see him as he was too busy mooning over Gwaine.This was the breaking point for Arthur who got up and slinked away through the sea of dancing bodies.

Merlin had been dancing with Gwaine for what seemed like forever.He looked up to Gwaine's face which smiled back at him,then he noticed Arthur.Who appeared to be leaving,so Merlin made and excuse that he had to use the bathroom and he left Gwaine there who was already looking for someone else to dance with.The hall was cool against Merlin's burning skin,he felt hot because Gwaine had been holding him too tight.He hadn't been holding him like Arthur did,the way Arthur held him was perfect,not too tight but just tight enough to know he was there.Merlin thought back over the past couple of weeks where he and Arthur had been pretending to flirt.Although to Merlin,it hadn't been pretend at all.Merlin's mind wandered off again when the sound of muffled crying brought him back.Merlin noticed it wasn't just an ordinary cry but that cry belonged to Arthur.

Arthur had ended up in one of the corridors,slumped against the lockers,crying.Crying because of-  
"Arthur" Merlin gasped as he ran towards him.  
Merlin was now sat in front of Arthur asking him what was wrong.Arthur was quiet for a while before he blurted  
"You,you're the matter!" Arthur had had enough of keeping his feelings bottled up.  
"I'm sad because you're at prom with someone,someone that isn't me" Arthur's voice had dropped to a whisper at the last part but Merlin had heard him.Merlin couldn't say anything,mainly due to the shock of the outburst so Arthur took this as an opportunity to carry on.  
"Do you know how hard it's been for me these past two weeks? having to flirt with you,just so you could make "him" jealous" Arthur's tone was dripping with venom.  
Merlin was still stunned but then a slow smile began to appear on his face  
"Well,it finally worked" he said  
"What?" Arthur's expression was still stormy,although now it was also clouded with confusion.  
"Why do you think I wanted to make Gwaine jealous?" Merlin asked  
"Do you really need to rub my nose in it? obviously you wnated him to ask you to this stupid dance" Arthur's voice raised a bit  
"See that's where you're wrong,I wanted to make Gwaine jealous,so that I could make you jealous" Merlin explained  
"I'm sorry what? you used me to make Gwaine jealous so that you could make me jealous?" Arthur tried to wrap his head around the notion  
"Yes,basically because I like you,and I had no idea if you liked me back and I figured if you did like me you'd ask me to prom,but you never did so I figured if I could make you jealous then you'd ask me then" Merlin was playing with his hands and avoiding looking at Arthur's gaze which was burning into him  
"But even after I suggested that I wanted Gwaine you still didn't say anything,so I took it as confirmation that my feelings were one sided" merlin continued.  
Arthur hadn't said a word since his outburst until he said  
"I didn't say anything about Gwaine because I thought it's what you wanted and I couldn't bring myself to tear at your happiness,even if it meant tearing at my own" Arthur was looking directly into Merlin's eyes now,though to merlin it felt as if they were gazing into his soul.  
"Oh" Merlin said softly "I guess I should have just asked you directly then,it would have saved us both a lot of pain and we could be out there dancing right now but instead here we are"  
Before Merlin could do anything else,Arthur had taken his hand and drew him close  
"We might be in this corridor,Merlin and we might not have any music but all that matters to me is that you're here,by my side,like you always are"  
"I'll always be by your side,Arthur,by your side is where I belong" Merlin said as both of them swayed to the faint music that carried through the hall.


End file.
